New Massachusetts hitch law

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xredge

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I always leave one of my hitches in, in the winter I usually throw the tri-ball in, and so far this year the weight distributing hitch has not come out. Every time wife gets a couple of days off in a row and she opens the day we leave and close on the day we return she wants to go camping. I was wanting to get the hitch step for it and was reading by one of the companies they include bumper stops, something about how with the hitch in it doesn't absorb any impact and can harm the people inside worse. I know mine has saved my ass a few times, when I was towing with the minivan somebody lost their brakes and hit us did nothing to us but they were messed up. Also notice when you have them in people don't tailgate as much and back off. Odds are like you said a money making item and probably tickets are low enough so people will just pay them but still leave their hitches in, also wouldn't be surprised if it also has to do with insurance company lobbying.
 

bluex

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After banging my legs on those stupid things idk how many times i NEVER leave them in now....
 

tylers88

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After banging my legs on those stupid things idk how many times i NEVER leave them in now....

This, plus mine in the 04 hangs out like 8-10". Iowa also has this law. I did have one time it helped, in HS a guy would always park touching my bumper(on parents 99 Burb) so I dropped it in reverse and punched a hole in his bumper, never parked next to me after that.
 

dirtyhick42

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Laws of physics boys... You think it's saving your ass but I bet instead of just a bent bumper you now have a tweaked frame. I got rear ended in my 98 one time at a red light, guy was doing a solid 35-40 mph. My hitch wasn't in and it still didnt do anything to my truck but totaled his focus, it's the truck not the hitch that's gonna save you.
 

WFO4X4

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They say it's unsafe because it sticks out past the vehicles built in crumple zone or something like that. Sounds like :bs: they just want money.

it doesn't stick out past as it is anchored to the chassis infront of the bumper... infact where the bumper mounts are... you could fight this
 

WFO4X4

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If the hitch is in the receiver it protrudes past the bumper. How else would you hook up a trailer? C'mon, man.

i guess i didn't say that clear enough. the issue was the crumple zones. the area of the bumper that the force on the hitch will be absorbed by you vehicle is exactly where the bumper is mounted. yes the hitch sticks out past the bumper... however, the hitch and receiver are mounted to the frame as stated above. the hitch protruding past the bumper and "crumple zones" is really just an excuse to force a law that has no merrit.
 

ChrisAU

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i guess i didn't say that clear enough. the issue was the crumple zones. the area of the bumper that the force on the hitch will be absorbed by you vehicle is exactly where the bumper is mounted. yes the hitch sticks out past the bumper... however, the hitch and receiver are mounted to the frame as stated above. the hitch protruding past the bumper and "crumple zones" is really just an excuse to force a law that has no merrit.

I agree. But that hitch can take a **** ton of energy out of a collision before the other car gets to the bumper. That's the reasoning behind the hitch being illegal, and not the receiver.
 
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